Data Collection Practices of Mobile Applications Played by Preschool-Aged Children
Data Collection Practices of Mobile Applications Played by Preschool-Aged Children
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DOI：
10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.3345
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发表时间：
2020-12-01
期刊：
影响因子：
26.1
通讯作者：
Radesky, Jenny S.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Zhao, Fangwei;Egelman, Serge;Radesky, Jenny S.
这项队列研究使用了第一波(2018年8月至2019年5月)学龄前儿童平板电脑研究的数据，以评估学龄前儿童玩移动应用程序的数据收集和共享做法，以及向第三方域传输数据是否违反了数字隐私法。关键点问题幼儿玩的移动应用程序(APP)的数据收集和共享做法是什么，潜在的隐私侵犯行为是否因儿童特征而异？发现在这项队列研究中，124名学龄前儿童玩的应用程序中，有三分之二显示了收集和分享持久数字识别符的行为。年龄较大、拥有自己的移动设备、玩更多应用程序或来自教育程度较低家庭的儿童向更多第三方域名传输数据的次数更多，而只有8%的儿童玩的应用程序显示零识别符传输。这意味着从儿童移动设备收集的数字识别码可以用于分析和营销目的；这项研究的结果表明，潜在的违反儿童数字隐私法的行为很常见，需要执行儿童在线隐私保护法。重要信息儿童导向的移动应用程序(APP)被发现收集数字识别码并将其传输给第三方公司，这可能违反联邦隐私法规。这项研究试图通过评估玩APP的儿童的社会人口学特征来检验APP数据收集和分享做法的差异。目的了解451款幼儿APP的数据收集和共享行为，并检验其与儿童社会人口学特征的关系。设计、设置和参与者这项研究使用了学龄前儿童平板研究基线阶段的数据，这是一项从2018年8月到2020年1月进行的前瞻性队列研究。这项研究使用了以总体为基础的样本。从儿科办公室、托儿中心、社交媒体帖子和在线参与者登记中招募了学龄前儿童父母的便利样本。资格标准包括(1)3至5岁儿童的父母或监护人，(2)每周至少5天与孩子住在一起的父母或监护人，(3)会说英语的参与者，以及(4)使用安卓(Google LLC)设备的儿童。与参与者的所有互动都是通过电子邮件、在线调查和移动设备采样进行的。调查对象的社会人口学特征通过父母报告进行评估。主要结果和衡量标准这项研究测试了一项假设，即来自社会经济地位较低家庭的儿童玩的应用程序中，向第三方领域传输数据的情况更常见。儿童应用程序的使用情况通过移动采样应用程序进行了评估，平均使用时间为9天。使用带有网络流量监控的仪表化Android环境，对每个应用程序向第三方域名的持久标识符数据传输进行量化；对于每个孩子，计算总数据传输计数，并检测他们播放的应用程序的总第三方域名。结果我们的样本包括124名使用Android设备的儿童(35名平板电脑，89名智能手机；65名女孩[52%]；平均[SD]年龄3.85[0.57]岁；87名非西班牙裔白人[71%])。120名参与调查的父母(97%)是女性。在测试的451款应用中，303款(67%)向1至33个第三方域名传输了持久标识。儿童数据传输计数从0到614(中位数[四分位数范围]，5.0[1-17.5])，第三方域名计数从0到399(4.0[1-12.5])。在多变量负二项回归模型中，每个APP的高传播率和第三方域率与年龄呈正相关(比率比，1.67[95%CI，1.20-2.33]；P=0.002和1.69[95%CI，1.26-2.27]；P
This cohort study uses data from the first wave (August 2018 to May 2019) of the Preschooler Tablet Study to assess the data collection and sharing practices of mobile applications played by preschool-aged children and whether transmissions to third-party domains violate digital privacy laws.Key PointsQuestionWhat are the data collection and sharing practices of mobile applications (apps) played by young children, and do potential privacy violations differ by child characteristics? FindingsTwo-thirds of apps played by 124 preschool-aged children in this cohort study showed collection and sharing of persistent digital identifiers. Children who were older, had their own mobile devices, played a higher number of apps, or were from lower-education households had higher counts of data transmissions to a higher number of third-party domains, whereas only 8% of children played apps that showed zero identifier transmissions. MeaningDigital identifiers collected from children's mobile devices can be used for profiling and marketing purposes; this study's results suggest that potential violations of child digital privacy laws are common, and enforcement of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act is needed.ImportanceChild-directed mobile applications (apps) have been found to collect digital identifiers and transmit them to third-party companies, a potential violation of federal privacy rules. This study seeks to examine the differences in app data collection and sharing practices by evaluating the sociodemographic characteristics of the children who play them. ObjectiveTo examine data collection and sharing practices of 451 apps played by young children and to test associations with child sociodemographic characteristics. Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis study used data from the baseline phase of the Preschooler Tablet Study, a prospective cohort study conducted from August 2018 to January 2020. This study used a population-based sample. A convenience sample of the parents of preschool-aged children was recruited from pediatric offices, childcare centers, social media posts, and an online participant registry. Eligibility criteria included (1) parent or guardian of a child aged 3 to 5 years, (2) parent or guardian who lived with the child at least 5 days per week, (3) participants who spoke English, and (4) a child who used an Android (Google LLC) device. All interactions with participants were through email, online surveys, and mobile device sampling. ExposuresSociodemographic characteristics were assessed by parental report. Main Outcomes and MeasuresThis study tested the hypothesis that data transmissions to third-party domains are more common in apps played by children from low-socioeconomic-status homes. Child app usage was assessed via a mobile sampling app for an average of 9 days. Persistent identifier data transmissions to third-party domains were quantified for each app using an instrumented Android environment with monitoring of network traffic; for each child, the counts of total data transmissions were calculated, and the total third-party domains were detected for the apps they played. ResultsOur sample comprised 124 children who used Android devices (35 tablets, 89 smartphones; 65 girls [52%]; mean [SD] age, 3.85 [0.57] years; 87 non-Hispanic White [71%]). One hundred twenty of participating parents (97%) were women. Of 451 apps tested, 303 (67%) transmitted persistent identifiers to 1 to 33 third-party domains. Child data transmission counts ranged from 0 to 614 (median [interquartile range], 5.0 [1-17.5]) and third-party domain counts from 0 to 399 (4.0 [1-12.5]). In multivariable negative binomial regression models, higher transmission and third-party domain rates per app were positively associated with older age (rate ratio, 1.67 [95% CI, 1.20-2.33]; P=.002 and 1.69 [95% CI, 1.26-2.27]; P